Sugartree Lane Preschool

Our childcare centres have been specially developed for the busy families living, working or studying in the central city.  We cater to families that live permanently in our neighborhood, visit daily from the suburbs or visit for short periods from out of town.  Our services have become a central feature in the local community where families feel welcome, safe and respected.  We can accept all children under the age of 6; regardless of immigration status.

Healthy nutrition is an important aspect of child development and well-being.  All child enrollments, regardless of age or booking type, receive our meal plan as part of our normal service.   Our childcare centres have qualified chefs that prepare meals daily from fresh ingredients.  We recognize individual child dietary requirements as well as cultural requirements for the diverse range of cultures we represent.  We develop a seasonal menu on a four week rotating cycle to ensure meals are varied and nutritious.   

Child Advocacy, Care and Education are the cornerstone philosophies of our centre.  

Everything we do, every resource we provide, every relationship we foster and every decision we make contributes toward these objectives.  We are dedicated to acting in the child’s interests in all matters including those of an educational, social and safety nature.  We recognize that meaningful relationships are a key to a child’s education and development, underwritten by an appreciation of the wealth of cultures within our surrounding community.  

Multiculturalism is embedded within our Centre as we celebrate all cultural backgrounds to meet the needs of our Tamariki and Whanau.  We believe that cultural diversity enriches our knowledge and widens our professional perspectives and practices.  We welcome families to talk about their cultural values so that teaching staff can weave them into our curriculum and programme planning.  We strongly believe that children and families benefit from our multicultural setting, as children will grow with awareness and the capability to empathise with the needs of our growing multicultural society. Through an atmosphere of love and security, in which children feel valued, confident and safe, we believe that multiculturalism will foster healthy, optimistic attitudes; giving a balanced perspective on life. 

We believe in the importance of the family and strengthening the bonds of the family unit through a partnership between home and the Centre. Our goal is for an environment of open communication where whanau and caregivers feel comfortable discussing their hopes, joys, aspirations and concerns for children.  We believe that everyone has a voice and can contribute toward the stimulating discourse of Centre affairs.   Families are welcomed into the centre at any time of the day and are encouraged to stay and interact with their child whenever possible. 

Our curriculum is based on Te Whariki resulting in the outcomes of knowledge, skills and attitudes that combine together to form tamariki working theories and develop dispositions that encourage learning.  We seek to empower tamariki to grow as competent and confident learners and communicators who have a sense of belonging and know that they make a valued contribution to our Centre, whanau and tangata/community.  Children at our centre are taught morals and values in the curriculum.  This means an emphasis is placed on the importance of respect, acceptance, learning good manners, ethical behaviours and politeness.  Our curriculum is focused on being child-centred and is built on the learning that takes place in the family, community and the wider world.  We believe there are multiple pathways to a successful child learning experience originating from the child’s interest.  We place great importance on children’s learning through play, recognizing specific interests, strengths and abilities. As teachers we provide for children the love of learning, making their journey exciting and challenging for them to thrive now and for the rest of their lives. 

To uphold the centre spirit, staff work together as a happy and professional team.  As staff we celebrate each other’s differences and contributions through open communication, being supportive and respectful while accepting challenge.  We see it as our responsibility to create an environment which upholds the bicultural heritage of New Zealand and the principles of partnership inherent in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.  We celebrate a rich environment where languages, rituals and symbols of children’s own and other cultures are promoted and protected. To remain current in early childhood theory and practice, staff actively participate in continuing education to ensure an optimum learning experience for each child.